Google Proposes Universal, Ultra High-Speed Internet Access

On Wednesday, February 10th via the Official Google Blog, Google announced, “We’re planning to build and test ultra high-speed broadband networks in a small number of trial locations across the United States. We’ll deliver Internet speeds more than 100 times faster than what most Americans have access to today with 1 gigabit per second, fiber-to-the-home connections. We plan to offer service at a competitive price to at least 50,000 and potentially up to 500,000 people.”

According to an article in The New York Times, “Critics say that Google’s move is little more than a public relations effort aimed at promoting its policy goals. They say that by spending relatively small sums, Google would be, in essence, pressuring the telecommunications companies that provide broadband access to millions of American homes to abide by Google’s rules.”

In a statement reported by Reuters, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski said, “big broadband creates big opportunities.” The FCC is about a month away from submitting a national broadband plan to Congress. Google’s “significant trial will provide an American test bed for the next generation of innovative, high-speed Internet apps, devices and services.”